As a dog owner, you’ve got a duty to look after your furry friend. They’re not just someone you can pay attention to every once in a while. You’ll have to be a responsible dog owner, and that takes time and effort. It’s not something you can put on the backburner.
You’ll have to be proactive with it, but that doesn’t mean it’ll be complicated. You could just be practical with your approach, and it’ll be quite easy to do.
Why Get A Dog?
With the amount of work and time a dog needs, you might wonder why you should get one. The fact you’ll get unconditional love from them is worth it, but there are far more reasons why you should consider it. They could have much more of an impact on your life than you’d think, and this’ll all be in positive ways:
- They Help You Stay Active – You’ll naturally need to take your dog for walks to keep them active and healthy. These walks don’t just benefit them, though. You’ll be more active because of them, helping you to look after your health a little bit more. While these walks could be pretty short, they’ll add up over time, especially compared to the time when you would’ve just sat on the couch.
- You Can Meet New People – Speaking of walks, you could meet new people while you’re taking your dog out. You’ll likely take your dog to the park or a similar dog-friendly place, and there’ll be plenty of other dog owners there, too. You could be more sociable because of it, letting you make a few friends while you’re at it. Your dogs could be the main reason for that.
- They Teach You New Things – Being a responsible dog owner takes a lot of patience and hard work, leading to you developing the skills you need to properly look after them. They could even give you a better appreciation of the outdoors, so you’ll learn much more from them than you would’ve thought. You’ll learn from them as much as they learn from you.
You’ll only see these benefits if you know how to be a responsible dog owner. While that’s obvious, it also seems like a complicated process. It isn’t. As long as you’re patient and willing to put the work in, it’ll be easier than you’d think.
With five practical strategies, that’s especially true, and you’ll fill up your home with love.
Be A Responsible Dog Owner: 5 Practical Strategies
1. Go On Daily Walks
As mentioned above, you’ll need to take your dog on walks to keep them active and healthy. It’s also a key part of their socialization with other dogs and lets them get used to being around other pets. Daily walks are vital to this, as it makes sure they’re getting enough exercise and socialization.
Doing it at about the same time every day is recommended so your dog gets used to routine. How long you should walk them depends on the breed you have, but it shouldn’t have to be too long. Try going the same routes and implementing fetch and other exercises into this.
2. Give Them A Healthy Diet
Your dog’s diet is one of the most important parts of staying healthy. Don’t just go for the first dog food you find in the shop. Instead, make sure you’re giving them something nutritious and that actually keeps them healthy. You could even find yourself asking a few questions when you’re doing this:
- How often should you feed them?
- Can dogs eat barley?
- How much food should you give them?
With the right diet, your dog will be healthy and full of energy. You’ve no reason not to put the effort into it.
3. Clean Up After Them
Not all ways to be a responsible dog owner focus on doing things with or for your pet. Sometimes, it’s about cleaning up after they make a mess. That doesn’t just mean wiping away a few spills after they knock something over. Instead, you’ll need to clean up any mess they make, especially in public.
Have some bags and gloves with you when you take them outside specifically for this. You can even have these attached to your dog leash. There’s no reason to let your dog leave a mess anywhere, so take a few seconds to actually clean up after them.
4. Have Engaging Play Time
Your dog naturally needs play time, and you’ll have no problem giving it to them. It’s one of the most important things you can do with your pet. It lets you bond with them and build a healthy relationship. That only happens if they’re engaged during the play time, though. Make sure that happens.
It’s worth noting that what engages your dog mightn’t be the same as what works for another dog. Each has their own personality and preferences, so cater to what they like and engage with. Once you go with that, you’ll bond and develop a better relationship with them.
5. Microchip Them
It’s all too common for people to lose their dogs, no matter how much they try not to. Keeping them on a leash helps avoid this, but that often isn’t enough. You’ll need to have a way to find them if this ever happens. Microchipping them is the most effective, as the microchips can’t be tampered with.
It also gives you GPS coordinates for where your dog is, letting you find them quickly and easily. You can track them down in minutes, and even lets vets and similar professionals find out who owns the dog if they’re found and brought in.
Be A Responsible Dog Owner: Wrapping Up
It doesn’t take a lot of work to be a responsible dog owner, but it’s not something you should overlook. Put the time and effort into it. Focusing on the right areas is an easy way to look after them without needing to put a lot of work into it. Before you even get them, make sure you’re willing to put the work into it.